Jack stood at the trash bin between buildings, holding a bag full of cash. He’d just withdrawn it from multiple ATMs—money he and his hacker group had stolen over a year from different bank accounts.
He texted his girlfriend: “Got the money.”
A 10-year-old girl appeared, grabbed the trash bag, and ran.
Jack chased her, but she disappeared around the corner.
Susan ran home, confused why someone would chase her for a trash bag. She was neatly dressed, didn’t want people seeing her scavenge from bins.
When she opened it, she froze. Bundles of cash.
Now she understood. Someone would come looking.
She hid the money.
The next day after school, men in black hoodies followed her. She ran. A woman with a knife caught her.
“Where’s the bag you stole?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
A young man approached. “Everything okay here?”
“She’s my daughter,” the woman said coldly.
“Is that your mother?” he asked Susan.
Susan’s terrified expression said everything.
“Let her go or I’m calling the police.”
The woman left. The man offered to walk Susan home.
“I’m visiting my uncle in the hospital,” she said quickly.
He accompanied her. She said her uncle was in a coma and she visited daily.
In the hospital room, Susan looked at the unconscious man. “I found money for your surgery. You’ll be fine soon. I need you.” She hugged him and left.
When she exited, the young man was gone. Susan sneaked out carefully.
Derek went to a café and sat with the woman he’d threatened earlier—Lily. They kissed.
“I lost her in the hospital,” he said.
She was angry. “The girl was about to tell everything. Why didn’t you let me question her?”
“She won’t talk. Besides, we don’t know if she’ll go to the police. We need to know who else knows about the money. Stick to the plan.”
The next day, Susan wore a hat as a disguise and went to a café to do homework. Derek was there.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
She was relieved to see him. He helped her with math. She was surprised how good he was.
They became friends. She talked about school, books. But sadness always shadowed her smile.
They met in parks and cafés. Eventually she told him everything.
Her mother left after the divorce. Her father rarely visited. She lived with her uncle and his wife Ann.
They were happy until the accident. Her uncle needed brain surgery. Ann had been collecting money for a year, but their bank account was hacked months ago. They barely had money to survive.
Ann, a documentary photographer, got invited to a mountain project for good money. She had to leave, but had no one for Susan. They agreed Susan wouldn’t tell anyone Ann was gone, or social services might take custody.
Susan had been alone two weeks with no word from Ann. No money for food. That’s why she searched trash bins.
“I’m so glad I found you,” she cried. “I don’t feel lonely anymore.”
Derek hugged her, tears in his eyes.
Derek told Lily everything. She beamed with joy.
Derek was shocked. He’d expected pity. Regret.
“Now we can get our money back. She’s alone. No one to protect her.”
Derek realized his girlfriend was heartless. He said nothing, but finally saw who she really was.
That night, Lily broke into Susan’s house with a gun. “Give me the money!”
Derek entered. “Get away from her.”
Lily spun around. “What are you doing, Derek? I love you! We planned our future together! You’re throwing it away for some girl you barely know?”
“At least I finally know who you are. Heartless. Soulless. Without any empathy.”
Lily’s eyes filled with tears. “I’ll kill her! Let’s get our money! You’re out of your mind!”
“I already sent the money back. To every account we hacked. I didn’t know what battles those people were fighting. Now I do. And I’m fixing it.”
Lily heard police sirens. Her face went white. “You told them?!”
She pointed the gun at Susan and fired. Derek yanked Susan aside. The bullet hit the wall.
Police burst in and arrested both of them. Susan handed over the remaining money.
Derek got two years. Lily and her gang got fifteen.
Ann returned weeks later, crying. “There was no signal in the mountains. I couldn’t contact you. I’m so sorry.”
Susan hugged her. “We got our money back. Now we can pay for the surgery.”
Soon her uncle was with them again, recovering.
The hacker who’d inadvertently given a little girl hope became the man who gave it back to everyone he’d hurt.
